I've only read the first Dune novel so far, but I can safely say that it's my favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy work of all... I normally don't like to draw comparisons but in this case Dune is at a much higher level than anything else I've read in the genre. Don't ask me what other Sci-Fi/Fantasy I've read, as you may become upset over the answer.

I just bought the sci fi series dvd for $30 aussie dollars..I ordered and put a deposit on children of dune as well ..is it any good??
Oh and pacino - Foundation is the greatest scifi work EVER!! But Dune comes close.

I was really into the Dune books until the God Emperor of Dune. I dunno, something about the jump forward of about 4000 years kinda threw me off. Im sentimental and had a hard time just letting go of all the characters and places id read about for three books and grew to like.

~Tonight I go as a Nemesis bearing just and blazingly cataclysmic vengance.~

i know it may be blasphemy to the purists, but i love Lynch's Dune. regardless of the fact that he altered the story considerably, i think it stands on its own merits as one of the weirder sci-fi films ever made. the giant spice vagina brain thing alone makes it a classic of weirdfilm...

i need to re-read the novel. i read it waaay back when i was a youngin' and forget quite a bit...

The Dune series (the first few, anyway) are some of my favorite sci-fi novels, along with A Canticle for Leibowitz. And although I recognize the superiority of the mini-series, I love love love the Lynch film to pieces. (I like the Bene Gesserit more in the film version, for example.)

But the books? The books defy film and television, I think. They are too dense to really put on film.

My wife has an odd fascination with the extended cable edition of Lynch's film in spite of hating the theatrical release. She told me that at the door the audience was handed guides to explain the story for those who were confused, which was most. I had read the book before I saw the film and was rather unhappy with all the changes to the story. The physical design knocked me out, especially Bob Ringwood's costumes. Also Sting in a metal bikini. Ringwood designed that, too, I believe.

Dune definitely is my favorite, followed by God Emperor of Dune. The latter is hardly the best in the series, but I really enjoy it.

I didn't watch the Sci-Fi minis because the previews made the first look utterly cheap (whereas Dino spent $70 million on Lynch's film). Was Paul portrayed as 14 at the beginning of the story?

"If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all." -- Noam Chomsky

I absolutely LOVE the David Lynch movie. The art direction especially. However, technically it isn't really David's movie. I must side with Lynch himself that it will never be his version because he never had final cut. People piss on it, but he was in talks with Herbert himself about creative issues. In the end, I think he was so upset about the whole horrible treatment of his film that he won't ever tackle reediting, plus hours and hours of footage has been forever lost so there's no point.

The Sci-fi series was good. Not spectacular, just good. It just didn't have the epic scope the subject matter requires.

The spin-off computer games were not too shoddy either. The graphic adventure was a good fun gallic flavoured jaunt across Arakls, whereas the RTS game lead to, I'd guess, as many as 78,000,000 lost man hours of play.

My Dad only got addicted to 3 of the games I ever owned, Doom 2, Desert Strike and Dune 2. Good damn game.

My girlfriend is super-into Dune, the books and miniseries. So far she's successfully avoided the Lynch film based on what she's heard of it, but I bought her a copy and sent it to her in the post so... not long now!

What suprised me about the whole thing is how obviously based on Islam it is. Which is partly why my girl loves it, as it chimes with a lot of things she was brought up with... Paul is a sci-fi representation of the prophet Mohammed banding a dissippated people together, the whole thing is worded using a similar style to Arabic, it's about his own jihad and realisation of who he is... Even if you know only a little about Islam, you can see the influence.

I've not read the books or seen the series, yet. But that's what I got from Lynch's film. After I relayed this to her, she told me she'd already figured that out long ago whilst reading it!

I think Lynch did as good a job as anyone could in translating the material. I really enjoy the movie, and although the mini-series were certainly more faithful to the books, I did not really care for them. It has something to do with acting and costume design; they sucked.

Seriously, I felt like I was watching an episode of The Star Lost. I just could not get pulled into the story.

The first three books are great, after that it ran out of steam for me. And then the later stuff, like the Machine Crusade. Meh, it was okay, but â€˜prequelingâ€™ has gotten a little old, and the writing was not-a-so-good. It came off like a star wars book.

It's been about 14 years since I read Dune but I enjoyed it a lot. I've only read the first one but have one or two others lying about here somewhere. I did a research paper on Lynch back in high school and what he went through making Dune I can understand why he doesn't want anything more to do with it. He had to condense the 350 page book into a 120 page script that pleased Dino and Herbert, oversee construction on 70 sets, get after Toto to finish the score in a timely fashion, and choreograph a fleet of extras. Those scores of Fremen in the battle at the end? That's not some guy tweaking the settings on Massive, that's 700 people running in the Mexico desert. He goes through all that and then it gets taken away? I'd tell Universal where to go too. As much as I would love to see Lynch's grand vision finally complete I'm not going to hold my breath.

I LOVE Lynch's movie. Never read the book, saw SOME of the miniseries, but I love the two versions of Lynch's Dune. There is something so deliciously adult and fantastic about it. Some of it is flat out insane, but I think the fact that the movie is just so bat-shit crazy is why I like it. I would die to see Lynch's "actual" film completed. That would be something. Maybe we could get a few answers. Like why the fuck the studly man flew. Or what that crazy Harkonnen was doing turning dials and looking like he was constipated before Fayd (sp?) comes out in his metal bikini. Or if that Mentat ever did milk his cat.

Can someone do me a favor? Give a quick rundown of what the major changes between the book and the movie are? Been wondering, and just don't have time to actually read it. I own it, I WILL read it, but I really am not worried about having it "spoiled" for me...

Still reading Dune. I like it, for the most part. It's interesting. I feel like I'm reading it at a disadvantage, though. A lot of the themes have been covered in later movies and books. So it feels like travelling old ground. But it's certainly interesting.

I REALLY enjoy being able to make comparisons to the Lynch version of the film, because I have seen that movie so many times. I used to wonder just why it was that Piter made those weird hand gestures when he was instructing the goons to drop Jessica and Paul in the desert. Now I know that one was deaf, and it was sign language.

Another thing is that parts in the movie felt extremely forced, and kinda weak. Like when Leto rescues the workers on the spice collector, in the movie it's just kinda "meh." But in the book, you get a far better understanding of just what type of man Leto is.

In short, the book makes more sense I enjoy it so far. Right now, Paul and Jessica JUST got away from the goons on the 'thopter. So, I have a ways to go.

Charlie Jane Anders wrote:The settings and characters in Frank Herbert's Dune are so vivid, it's hard to do justice to them on the screen. But looking at these amazing "speed-paintings" by concept artist Mark Molnar is enough to make you wish they'd try again.

Writes Molnar:

I was always a big fan of the world of the original Dune book, so I thought it could be a really fun side project to develop some concepts for it.

Charlie Jane Anders wrote:The settings and characters in Frank Herbert's Dune are so vivid, it's hard to do justice to them on the screen. But looking at these amazing "speed-paintings" by concept artist Mark Molnar is enough to make you wish they'd try again.

Writes Molnar:

I was always a big fan of the world of the original Dune book, so I thought it could be a really fun side project to develop some concepts for it.

That's some sweet shit right there. Damn I wish I had artistic skills like that.

Contrary to the legend circulating the Internet, Jodorowsky and Mobius did make this epic but not in the form they originally wanted. Jodorowsky had always said that he considered the novel as a starting point. His Dune was radically different. One the many changes was making the main character Emperor Shaddam IV, not Paul Muad’dib Atreides. Frank Herbert disavowed the project and this may have contributed to the funding falling through. Jodorowsky and Mobius did some tweaking (mostly name changes) and starting in 1981, published it as an original comic book series called L’Incal (The Incal). Some issues were translated into English and published in Heavy Metal magazine. Like Dune, the story was later greatly expanded. Science fiction/ comics fans refer to the books as the Jodoverse or the Metabarons Universe. The latest series, Sans Nom, le Dernier des Métabarons – (Nameless, the Last of the Metabarons) was released in 2003.

Because of L’Incal‘s popularity and success in Europe, Jodorowsky and Mobius again attempted to make a film in the mid-1980′s. This time, the film would have been animated, giving the creators greater visual control but at a (hopefully) lower cost. For unknown reasons, this project also fell through. Enough footage was created for a trailer. [Posted above – Ed.] None of the Pink Floyd music is in the trailer. A generic synth track was used instead, but some of the filler footage does reference the now iconic cover of “Dark Side of the Moon”. The voiceover may be jazz poet Ken Nordine.

More Dune facts:

• Frank Herbert has publicly stated that he was happy with Lynch’s adaption of Dune. Because of their complexity and thematic density, Herbert believed his novels would never have mass appeal and was unsurprised by it’s poor box office perfomance.

• Because of contractual obligations to producer Dino DeLaurentis, David Lynch had to turn down George Lucas’ offer to direct Return of the Jedi.

• Dune may have inspired Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice” (Walk without rhythm, it won’t attract the worm.)

Dune's loss was somehow a strange blessing, as several of the artists involved went on to take part in other equally important projects: After De Laurentiis secured the movie rights for Dune, he initially hired Ridley Scott as director; however, after 7 months Scott abandoned the project, but not before taking an eye on Giger's work though... which would prove instrumental for the movie he's perhaps most famous for: Alien.

Unfortunately it was impossible for me to not picture the actors from the 80s movie as I read it, but fortunately for me I happen to like the movie despite its flaws.

The amount of inner monologue it what has to make this one hard book to translate to the big screen. The 80s movie did it, but not well (the actors whispered their inner monologue!). The other major stumbling block IMO is the overt religious aspect. Paul is a Messiah (or is he?!?!!) and alot of the terminology seems to be based on the Islamic faith. If they were to neuter that part of the novel, then you've just got a scifi desert revenge flick.

Anywho, I think its worth a read if you're looking for something to read.

i read it a year or two ago, the middle parts are a slog, but overall it's got some intriguiing ideas and i've been tempted to get into the sequels. it sounds like the sequels take the whole "messiah" concept in a really interesting and subversive direction that i would probably enjoy.

TheBaxter wrote:i read it a year or two ago, the middle parts are a slog, but overall it's got some intriguiing ideas and i've been tempted to get into the sequels. it sounds like the sequels take the whole "messiah" concept in a really interesting and subversive direction that i would probably enjoy.

I just started book 2, Dune Messiah last night. At my reading pace I'll have a review up by June.

“Arrival” and “Sicario” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is directing the movie.

Legendary closed a deal with the Frank Herbert estate last Thanksgiving for his iconic novel, granting the studio rights to not only films, but also TV projects on the sci-fi property.

The projects would be produced by Villeneuve, Mary Parent and Cale Boyter, with Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Thomas Tull and Kim Herbert serving as executive producers. Kevin J Anderson will serve as a creative consultant.

Set in the distant future, “Dune” follows Paul Atreides, whose family assumes control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, jurisdiction over Arrakis is contested among competing noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature, as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s reign.

The book has sold almost 20 million copies since its original release and in 2003 was named the best-selling sci fi novel of all time.

The novel was also adapted for the 1984 film directed by David Lynch. The movie, which starred Kyle MacLachlan, was initially considered a flop — it was critically panned and grossed just $30.9 million on a $40 million budget — but has recently attained cult status.

Best known for his work on Oscar fare such as “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Munich,” and “Forrest Gump,” which earned Roth his only Academy Award, this movie would mark Roth’s first foray into the world of science fiction.